The Jesus Dynasty
by Dr. James Tabor
This book first published in 2007 is the latest attempt to convince people that Jesus was human, did not die on the cross and had children with Mary Magdelene. Dr. Tabor has taken great hits of credibility becauseof his involvement in the Jesus Tomb project with S. Jacobovici (at least in my opinion) and this is another one of his desperate attempts to regain any credibility he thought he had lost.
It did not work. Throughout the book he makes futile attempts to appear like he is investigating the issue objectively but is undermined by his constant referal to hearsay evidence and his inability to provide any cresdible evidence to support his thinking. One prime example happens when he tries to delve into an alternative idea concerning Jesus' real father (step-father?). Dr. Tabor begins his investigation with a very weak excuse found on page 59: "But history, by its nature, is an open process of inquiry that cannot be bound by the dogmas of faith."
In other words, I do not care what the Bible says I am going to replace its words with what I want. This is the childish attituide Dr. Tabor presents throughout the book. BUt it doesn't stop there, here is th enext line: "Historians are obligated to examine whatever evidence we have, even if such discoveries might be considered shocking or sacriligious to some."
The problem is, there IS NO OTHER EVIDENCE for alternatives. Everything he discusses pertaining to an alternate father, Panthera, is based upon hearsay and which was written in 178 a.d. (pg. 64) by Celsus who heard it from someone who heard it from someone. This is not evidence but a futile attempt to replace the Biblical record with anything other than what the Bible says.
Another problem with citing Celsus' story is that there is NO connection between the roman centurian and Mary the mother of Jesus. Yes there was a soldier named Panthera but his grave is found in Germany not the Holy Land and he hailed from a town over 40 miles north of Nazereth. (pg. 69)This is as close as Dr. Tabor cancome to linking this soldier with Mary as he retreats into speculation to cause confusion in the minds of weaker people.
Like others who do not believe, Dr. Tabor argues from a position of absence of evidence to spin his deceitful ideas and ignores the reality. Not every detail in the ancient world was recorded and it would be impossible to get all of the details even it they were. Yet he takes a detour from this reality and tries to concoct some sort of fable which is more pleasing to his unbelieving mind. He even goes as far as trashing the only real evidence we have, from the only eye-witness records there are just because it doesn't fit what he wants the reality to be: "Even though Matthew and Luke represent Mary as pregnant after her engagement, since neither believes Jesus had a human father, their representation should not be taken as the final word."
Why? Matthew and Luke were a lot closer to the real event, knew the real people involved in that event, and were told what took place by the Holy Spirit this is not good enough for a man who does not believe in Christ, is 2000 years removed from the event and who did not know th epeople involved. This is how ridiculous Dr. Tabor gets and demonstrates why he lost his credibility, he ignores the truth while believing word of mouth with nothing credible to substantiate that oral transmission.
Dr. Tabor tries at different times to use different greek and hebrew words and offers his translation of them but the believer must remember that such translations are not God inspired and must be taken with a large grain of salt. One must consider the source and their agenda before accepting any new definition to a word which has been translated by men who were led of God and believed in Him. Then one must see if that translation is in line with God's message and the truth and so on.
One cannot accept any new meaning just because the person is an expert or has learned the language, that is a dangerous move to make and one must be careful of being deceived and led astray. God is NOT in all re-translations. As for this book, it is not worth the time unless you want to research the unbelieving's side of the argument and see where they go wrong. Dr. Tabor does not regain any credibility, but loses all that he had left, with this book (in my opinion).
